Published on : Modified :
Melbourne (AFP) – Novak Djokovic will face Roberto Carballés Baena in the first round of the Australian Open for his return to Melbourne, after being banned from Australian territory and prevented from participating last year.
The Serb, seeded number 4, is seeking a 22nd Grand Slam title – the record currently held by Rafael Nadal – and a tenth coronation at the Australian Open, which he will start with a meeting against the 75th player in the world. .
But the star could start the competition – which begins on January 16 – injured after a hamstring pain that occurred during the Adelaide tournament, the first of the season, and which Djokovic won last week.
Novak Djokovic, 35, cut his training session short on Wednesday to receive additional treatment.
“Djoko” had been prevented from participating in the last Australian Open because of his vaccination status, after a legal battle which had ended in his expulsion from the territory.
He had also missed the US Open for the same reasons.
The Serb divides opinion in Melbourne, one of the cities where confinements were among the longest in the world, at the height of the Covid pandemic.
Novak Djokovic is due to face local Nick Kyrgios on Friday in a charity match and could cross paths with him again in the quarter-finals.
For that, the whimsical Kyrgios should first get rid of Holger Rune and Andrey Rublev, seeds number 9 and 5.
In the absence of the world number 1, the Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, injured and forfeited, it is his compatriot and defending champion Rafael Nadal who advances as the number 1 seed. He will start against Jack Draper.
Garcia against a qualifier
The seeded number 2 Casper Ruud, defeated as soon as he entered the Auckland tournament on Wednesday, will face Tomas Machac.
Daniil Medvedev, runner-up in the last two editions, will start against Marcos Giron, while Stefanos Tsitsipas, seeded number 3, will have to struggle against Frenchman Quentin Halys.
Andy Murray also starts very strong with a poster against Matteo Berrettini, while an Andrey Rublev-Dominic Thiem shock is also expected.
On the women’s side, world number 1 Iga Swiatek will launch her quest for a first crown in Melbourne against Jule Niemeier.
Number 2 Ons Jabeur will play against Tamara Zidansek and number 3 Jessica Pegula against Jaqueline Cristian.
France’s Caroline Garcia, seeded number 4, will inherit a qualifying opponent while world number 5 Aryna Sabalenka, winner of the Adelaide tournament last week, will start against Tereza Martincova.
The first round will reserve another shock: that between the former winners of the tournament Victoria Azarenka and Sofia Kenin.
© 2023 AFP